


Feed the Beast

by SpecialHell



Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-09
Updated: 2019-02-09
Packaged: 2019-10-25 04:46:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,933
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17718317
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpecialHell/pseuds/SpecialHell
Summary: Steve loves Bucky's gentleness, but sometimes that's not what he wants.





	1. Chapter 1

Steve looked over at Bucky, who was sitting next to him on the sofa with a book in his hand. Steve was feeling antsy. He got like this sometimes. A need he’d stubbornly refused to acknowledge when he was short and scrawny. The same need he hadn’t been able to acknowledge here in the future. Not before he got Bucky back. Now that they were reunited, the need was making itself known. 

Bucky wasn’t 100% yet, and Steve was always afraid to push, but today had been quiet and Bucky had been having a good month. Plus, as anyone would attest, Steve was a nightmare. With that in mind, Steve reached over and poked Bucky in the ribs. Bucky grunted, but didn’t react. That wouldn’t do at all. Steve poked again - harder and further down his side. This time Bucky shot Steve a glare over his book. Steve smirked back and raised an eyebrow in challenge. Bucky’s lips twitched, but he went back to his book. He was ignoring Steve on purpose, and Steve wasn’t going to take that.

The next jab to Bucky’s side was in a spot he’d forgotten about over the years. His body had spent so long being nothing but a weapon, that some parts never entered his mind. Apparently Steve hadn’t forgotten, because the poke was precisely placed, and Bucky’s whole body reacted. It tickled. Steve did it again, and Bucky dropped his book to look over. Steve was grinning now, and Bucky shook his head. Steve was being childish, but when he wanted attention he always got it; especially from Bucky. With an exaggerated scowl, Bucky turned his body towards Steve. He remembered a few tricks himself. Before Steve could react, Bucky reached over and poked him back. Steve barked out an unexpected laugh, thrilled that Bucky remembered his ticklish spots. The jabs quickly degenerated, and before long both were tickling each other and trying to defend their own vulnerable parts. The impromptu wrestling match landed them on the floor, with Steve stretched out over the top of Bucky.

Between giggling and heavy breaths, Bucky went slack. Steve looked down, trying to keep the frown from his features. This wasn’t new, and Steve always felt bad that he was disappointed. Bucky was so sweet to him. He was always careful and generous. Their physical relationship was new, but even before they’d admitted to their romantic feelings, Bucky was careful with Steve. It wasn’t like Steve didn’t understand - almost beating the man you love to death would be hard on anyone’s psyche. Steve was grateful that Bucky touched him at all, but in the back of his mind there was still that _need_ , and it was getting harder to ignore. Steve tried to put it out of his head by leaning forward and kissing Bucky instead. Bucky kissed back for a moment, before nudging at Steve to get up.

“I’ll make us some lunch,” Bucky was smiling, soft and content. Steve’s insides melted at that, and he nodded with a smile of his own. He watched Bucky as he headed out towards the kitchen, and only let out his disappointed sigh when he was sure his lover wouldn’t hear it.

 

“It’s ok to tell him, y’know.”

Steve turned at the unexpected voice. Bruce was standing in the doorway, a sympathetic half-smile on his face.

“What?” Steve knew it was a dumb question, but he needed to think about his approach. This wasn’t a conversation he was planning to have today.

“Bucky. It’s ok to tell him. That you want something…” Bruce seemed embarrassed to be talking about this, but he was determined to help. He was a good friend. “If you’d like him to be less gentle sometimes. He won’t be mad.”

Steve sat down heavily on the sofa. He wasn’t going to insult Bruce by denying it. “I’m not worried about him getting mad,” Steve explained. “I’m afraid that…” he took a deep breath, and tried to keep the despair out of his tone. “He’s been through so much. Been forced into so much violence. I just don’t want him to feel like he’s not enough for me. That who he’s choosing to be now isn’t enough.”

“He’s lucky to have you,” Bruce’s voice was quiet but firm. “To have someone who loves all of him. We’ve all got a monster inside us, Steve. It’s just that for some of us that monster has a face. Knowing that you’re not afraid of what’s inside him will be a relief. Take it from someone who understands.”

Steve met Bruce’s eyes. He saw a shadow of the haunted look that Bucky sometimes got. The look he’d seen in Natasha’s eyes more than once. Steve nodded, and that was enough for Bruce. He smiled in response before turning to leave Steve to his own thoughts.


	2. Chapter 2

After lunch, Steve suggested they spar for a while. He still had a lot of nervous energy, and Bruce’s words were working their way around his brain. If Steve had learned anything over the last few years, it was that not talking about something was never the answer. Bucky had agreed to the suggestion, and now they were down in the training room, lazily trading hits. Steve built them up slowly. He began to shift away from Bucky’s love-taps, putting more effort into blocking, and Bucky grinned at Steve’s movements. He could tell that Steve needed some more exertion, so he followed along. The blows came faster, although still gentle, and Bucky began moving them around the space. Steve ducked and dived a few more times, catching Bucky off guard with a jab to the stomach. Bucky’s low growl sent a thrill through Steve, and he couldn’t hold himself back anymore. With a quick duck and pivot, Steve took Bucky’s legs out from under him. Bucky hit the mat with a huff, and Steve straddled him. The hope Steve harboured of Bucky taking control - that they wouldn’t need to have this awkward conversation after all - was dashed when Bucky laid his hands above his shoulders and went limp. Steve knew Bucky had plenty of ways to get Steve off him. He knew that Bucky could’ve been on his feet before Steve even planted himself over his love’s hips. Bucky was surrendering, like he always did with Steve.

“Giving up easy, aren’t we?” Steve teased, trying to get a rise.

“Maybe I just like having you on top’a me,” Bucky retorted, and Steve could feel the heat at his neck. He was silent for a moment, drawing lazy patterns on Bucky’s pecs with his fingers. After he’d gathered his thoughts - which Bucky had patiently let him do - Steve looked into Bucky’s eyes with a soft expression.

“You know what I miss?” Steve’s voice was quiet, almost melancholy, and Bucky instinctively rested his hands on Steve’s thighs in comfort. “About before the war?”

“Well it can’t be the heart palpitations, or the asthma,” Bucky replied with a crooked smile. Steve jabbed him for being a smartass, but he wasn’t smiling back.

“I miss fitting under your arm,” Steve confessed. “I know I was always ornery about being smaller than you, but now…”

Bucky rubbed gently at Steve’s thighs. He didn’t offer any words; they both knew it would do no good to dwell on what might have been.

“Hey, do you remember that fight behind Lucy’s diner?” Steve asked. Bucky took a second to recall.

“You mean when Lizzie came runnin’ for me because you were about to get yourself killed?” Bucky was still smiling, but Steve could see that same annoyed look in his eyes that had been there so many years ago.

“Those guys were hassling her! What was I gonna do?”

“Well, maybe not get into a fight with three guys twice your size. Especially when one of ‘em had a knife.”

“I didn’t know about the knife,” Steve defended, before getting a soft look on his face and tilting his head to the side. It reminded Bucky of a puppy. “Besides, I didn’t get killed. You came to my rescue.”

Bucky laughed at the wording, his hands tightening on Steve’s thighs. “I threw you over my shoulder and hauled you outta there, and you cussed me out all the way home!”

“Way I remember it, I wasn’t the only one cussin’,” Steve was laughing along with Bucky now. The thrill of shared memories was still new for both of them.

“I was so scared I’d be too late,” Bucky revealed. “And I was mad at you for being so noble and stupid. I swear I coulda tanned your hide that day.”

“Why didn’t you?” Steve tried to keep his voice curious, and not let the nerves seep through. He couldn’t say for sure if he had, but Bucky chuckled all the same.

“Are you kidding? I woulda broken you, dummy.”

“Well you wouldn’t break me now.”

 

Bucky stilled. Steve held his breath. Their eyes met, and Steve was sure his heart stopped for the briefest moment. Bucky shifted as if to sit up, and Steve hastily got to his feet. Fear was creeping in now. Had he done this wrong? Should they have talked about it properly? Steve didn’t have time to spiral. As soon as Bucky was standing up, he pulled Steve forward and into a gentle but intense kiss. Steve went easily. He always did when it came to Bucky.

They parted, and before Steve could think of apologising for his clumsy words, he felt hands on his hips and the next thing he knew the world was upside down. Bucky’s metal arm was holding the tops of his thighs to a firm shoulder, and Steve was looking at Bucky’s ass from above. He wasn’t going to complain. It was a great view. Bucky carried Steve out of the training room without a word, and Steve was happy to lie limp over Bucky’s shoulder and keep his mouth shut. Any chance of him saying something to screw this up was not being entertained, as far as Steve was concerned.

Steve’s attention was pulled back to the real world by another voice. This time it was Clint.

“Hey Bucky. Cap.”

Steve felt a smack to his ass before he saw Clint walk by, raising his coffee mug in salute. Steve licked dry lips, and tried to put as much authority in his voice as possible.

“James Barnes, that better have been you.”

Bucky’s chuckle was smoky, and Steve felt him squeeze the flesh just below the swell of his ass.

“Aw, Sugar. You really think I’m letting anyone else touch what’s mine?” It was a rhetorical question, which was good because Steve’s breath was punched out of him with the words.

 

_Mine._

 

Steve’s mind was spinning, and he didn’t even notice where they were headed until Bucky shifted his body. He dropped Steve careless onto their bed, and levelled his unreadable gaze at the blond. 

“God, I love you,” Steve almost gasped. How did he get this lucky?

Bucky rested his weight on his metal hand, almost touching Steve’s knee, and leaned in to run his right hand up the back of Steve’s neck.

“I love you too, baby.” Steve’s smile turned to a whine when Bucky gripped into his hair, and he moved to whisper into Steve’s ear. “But God’s a little formal. Hows about you just call me Sir?”

Steve’s entire body reacted, and his brain began to fritz as Bucky set about sucking a mark high up on Steve’s throat.

 

He would have to send Bruce a muffin basket.


End file.
